July 2025
Blog | A parent's guide to Clearing and how you can support your child
By Melanie Hall
Share post:Read time: approx 7 mins
You may have heard of Clearing, but are not sure what it is. You might have gone through Clearing yourself, but it was a while ago and it’s a whole different thing helping your own child navigate their journey to university.
Let’s iron out some of the basics:
What is Clearing?
If your child hasn’t applied to university yet, but wants to go this September, or if they have received no offers from universities or do not meet the conditions of their offers, Clearing is a second chance to secure a place for this year.
There are other reasons they might go through Clearing too.
They may have received offers, but have changed their mind on the universities. This can sometimes happen if a student goes to an open day and realises their initial choice wasn’t right. It can be as simple as not gelling with a location.
They may have changed tack on their course or subject. One of our students realised she actually wanted to study food and nutrition instead of law - just days before her results!
What is key to remember is that Clearing is absolutely not about failure. Hopefully, this is a stigma that is dying out. In fact, as our Clearing stories show, many students are relieved they went through this process, ending up on a course made for them and forging successful careers in a field they love.
How does Clearing work?
On results day, universities are poised for your child to potentially call their Clearing hotlines to see if they can offer them a place that has become free on a course.
If your child is interested in one of our Clearing courses, they can call our Clearing hotline on 0121 604 1040 or they can speak to an advisor on Live Chat on our website or message on WhatsApp. We know it might feel daunting, but try to encourage them. Our friendly advisors are super helpful and are there to help. Your child can also request a callback.
If your child's motivation for going through Clearing is not to do with grades, they don't need to wait until results day. Clearing is open now and stays open right up until 17th October. They could have their dream place in no time.
How can I help my child prepare to go through Clearing?
Firstly, you can sit with them and make a plan before results day, just in case they do not get the grades they need for their firm or insurance choices. And prepare them for the possibility of things not going the way they'd like them to.
You can encourage them to start researching Clearing courses early, so they can create a shortlist and approach universities early too. Emotions might be high and being prepared and getting everything in order ahead of results day will make the day much less stressful – and means that your child is already sure of what they want to do should they not get the grades they were hoping for.
If their reason for going through Clearing is because they haven’t applied yet or have changed their mind on a university or course, your child can get planning and start calling around now, there’s no need to wait until August!
You can help by ensuring they are super prepared with the essentials they need to have to hand on the call or chat:
- Their UCAS ID and Clearing number
- A list of courses they’re interested in
- Their exam results (if they have them)
Annabelle's Clearing support from dad
"We didn't want Annabelle to accept a course that meant changing her future and settling, so using UCAS and looking into universities' own websites, we found University College Birmingham to be an option for her to continue in the area she wanted. Annabelle went through Clearing and was accepted onto the degree in health and social care."
Be clear on what a university offers
Behind the scenes, there may be practical and financial challenges for you to navigate, but a good university Clearing team should be able to give you and your child clear guidance on any help you can tap into.
For instance, as part of our award-winning support, we are giving all UK full-time undergraduates starting in September 2025 a free £5,000 to help with the cost of living, no strings attached, just some extra support. We also offer:
- World-class facilities - we have invested £200 million into campuses, equipment and resources
- City centre location - surrounded by booming businesses, gorgeous green spaces and vibrant nightlife. Plus, there's a magnificent mix of cultures right on your doorstep and fantastic connections to the rest of the UK and the world
- Network of 1,000 employer contacts to provide valuable placements and excellent careers guidance through HIRED
Are there Clearing open days we can attend?
If your child is interested in a Clearing course, but wants to visit a university and meet the lecturers before committing, look into attending a Clearing open day. Ours is on Saturday 16 August 2025, two days after results day, and we can help your child apply on the day, if they like what they see.
You can see our facilities and we will also have our incredible support teams on hand to guide and advise you, from our finance and accommodation services to our wellbeing and disability and neurodiversity teams.
A few final things...
Ultimately, you can be a huge help to your child during the Clearing process. Our top tips are to:
- Stay calm and positive – Clearing is a fresh opportunity.
- Be available – your encouragement is invaluable.
- Be there to help with logistics – accommodation, travel, and finances may need quick decisions.
- Celebrate – securing a place is a big achievement.
If you have any questions at all, please get in touch and we will be happy to help you.
Wishing your child the best of luck!
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